Families London West issue 71

ISSUE 71: March/April 2011 www.familiesonline.co.uk

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Picture credit: Polarn O. Pyret www.polarnopyret.com.

The very useful magazine for families in West London including Kensington, Notting Hill, Maida Vale, Paddington, Hammersmith, Chiswick and Ealing

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

March – April 2011

In this issue

This issue is packed full of ideas for the outside days. O Our O Outt and About literally lists over t id d d Ab a hundred things that are going on near you! And in the middle of it all is a big fat Easter holiday.

Joanna Parry has got some lovely ideas up her sleeve for enjoying the time with your children.

In addition, we bring you details of all those holiday workshops going on in West London. Look out for our special offers on page 22 for days out and activities with children. Remember that all this information plus much much more is on our website www.familieswest.co.uk butt the clever thing is, if you register then n NEW IN all the information is tailored to THIS ISSUE where you live. Give it a try! check out the Reader Offers on page 22.

Contentss

News & Views Childcare Crawl before you walk Baby Page Education Easter Activities & Workshops What's On Theatre What's your child eating?

Reader Offers Classifieds

3-4 6-7 8 10 12-13 14-15 16-19 20 21 22 23

www.FamiliesWest.co.uk Families West is designed by Natalie Schmidt of www.matobodesign.com and printed

by Ridgeway Press, 12 Campbell Court, Bramley, Tadley, Hampshire RG26 5EG. Tel 01252 885837. Copyright Families West Magazine 2011. Colour transparencies and any other original materials submitted for publication are sent at owner’s risk and while every care is taken, neither Families nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage.

Families West is part of the Families group, established in 1990 and headed by Families South West. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under license. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of the advertisers nor the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

March – April 2011

News & Views London Early Years Foundation Nursery wins food award LEYF’s commitment to healthy eating was officially recognised at the 2010 Nursery World Awards, where the organisation was ‘Highly Commended’ in the Food category.

David Neil, who is the Chef at Katharine Bruce Community Nursery, attended the event in Park Lane. Like many of LEYF’s 14 nursery Chefs, David runs cooking lessons for the children, and taster evenings for parents. He makes sure his daily menus are healthy and use fresh, seasonal produce.

“I like making fresh things like home-made chicken nuggets and my own tomato ketchup from blended tomatoes,” says David. “I show the children they don’t have to go to a fast food restaurant to have food like that. Now’s the time to get children used to flavours and introduce them to a balanced diet.”

© LEYF

The winter does really seem to have dragged on this year and I can't wait for the Spring.

Longer days and more outside than in is just what our family needs.

LEYF has now partnered with the initiative Fresher By Miles to deliver produce from a local Kent farm to the nursery kitchen in less than 24 hours from harvesting.

They are also developing the first National Standards for Early Years Chefs – a specific and professional level 3 vocational qualification – working closely with professional Chefs, the Sector Skills Council and the Soil Association.

LEYF Chief Executive June O’Sullivan says: “We provide most of the children’s meals and the parents rely on us. It’s important to provide good quality food and improve the all-round experience for children.”

The London Early Years Foundation run 14 nurseries in Westminster including the Katherine Bruce nursery in W10.

To find out more about them go to www.leyf.org.uk

ElectroMagnetic Radiation dangers We reported on the danger of mobiles and WIFI to children in our last issue. Did you know cordless phones are just as bad? – if not even worse?

Do you have cordless phones at home? If you use a cordless home phone the radiation pulses 24/7 and penetrates walls and ceilings. If you sleep next to or in a room above the base station your sleep patterns will be disturbed and your melatonin production will be affected. Headaches and misbehaviour in children are other side effects. Inform yourselves! There is loads of evidence out there. If you are pregnant you need to pay even more attention.

For convenience we've put up the must watch videos, recent articles in the media and a forum on www.familiesonline.co.uk/radiation

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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News & Views

Plasticine, Candles and Soup dance classes Joasia Tapson runs contemporary and creative dance classes in Chiswick at the West London Buddhist Vihara, Bedford Corner, The Avenue, W4. The Summer term starts on April 27th with four new fresh and exciting dance classes for ages seven months to 10 years. Classes take place on Wednesday afternoons and these include Happy Monkeys (for toddlers), Nurturing Danceways (for babies), Kool Dancers (an afterschool dance group for ages 6+) and Tiny Dancers for 31/2 - 5 year olds.

See www.plasticinecandlesandsoupdance.com to find out more or contact Joasia on 07958 207 940/ e: joanna.tapson@tiscali.co.uk

Childcare you can trust This spring let Best Bear take the fear and hassle out of finding your childcare solution. Operating nationwide, www.bestbear.co.uk can help you find a nanny, au pair, baby sitter or even a nursery safely – they have thoroughly vetted all of the nanny agencies on their site so you know you can relax when contacting them. Alternatively, find a nanny directly by advertising for childcare quickly and easily on Best Bear’s website – browse CVs from hundreds of childcarers looking for work, and then use the site’s Reference Checking Service for complete peace of mind.

This spring, Best Bear are offering a 10% discount to Families readers who would like to take advantage of their reference checking service – simply call 08707 201277 to speak to an advisor and quote ‘Families’ to ensure your discount.

Go to www.bestbear.co.uk or email info@bestbear.co.uk @ for all of your childcare needs.

New language game has kids racing to learn a language Local father and businessman, Andrew Finan, has designed a new language learning game called KLOO, to make learning a language fast, easy and fun.

Disappointed with how slowly his daughters were Look out learning languages, he started to wonder if you could for the special create a game that replicated the way we learned offer for Families Readers on page our first language so it was more natural. Playing with 22 of this scraps of paper around the dining room table, he designed and refined the issue! ® KLOO concept. The reaction of his daughters to the game surprised him.

Within minutes his children were shouting out foreign sentences, laughing and nd completely absorbed in the game, while tests showed they were learning more in a single game of KLOO® than in a month of using other methods.

In just a few short months KLOO has started appearing on the High Street with specialist language shops like The European Bookstore; games shops like Chess & Bridge of Baker Street, and major book shops like Foyles all selling KLOO. Teachers, parents and adults also buy on-line at www.kloogame.com. Now learning a language doesn’t have to involve work, study or writing – just play and have fun!

Postnatal help While becoming a parent for the first (or second!) time can be very exciting, many of us also find it an immense challenge. With concerns over everything from breastfeeding to broken sleep, parents often need somebody to talk to, and this spring the NCT has set up a new Postnatal Line for all parents. “New parents often feel they are getting everything wrong, while everyone else has the right answer,” says Juliet Pollard, NCT Postnatal Leader. “At NCT, we think there is no right answer.” Staffed by qualified NCT advisors, the Postnatal Line offers support and information to new parents on everything from sleeping to feeding, establishing baby routines and body image after birth. The helpline number is 0300 330 0772 and is open 9am to 1pm Monday to Friday, with calls charged at local rates.

“Remember, you are not alone,” adds Juliet.

“Many new parents feel overwhelmed, and the NCT’s recent postnatal care survey of first time mums found that emotional support, physical care and information provided to mums was sadly lacking, leaving many of them feeling abandoned and uncertain.”

For more information go to www.nct.org.uk.

Young film makers academy If you have a child who would love to learn about film making, 4jt could be for them! The company runs numerous workshops where young people write, direct and film their own stories, along with a home study programme for students who have their own ideas and want to create it, film it and edit it. Home study students also receive a free brand new camcorder at the end.

Locally, there is a free taster session on March 5th from 10-11am at the Hogarth Centre, Duke Street, in Chiswick. It is open to all children aged 6+ but there will be more workshops to follow.

For bookings or more information, email courses@4jtv.co.uk, telephone 07985 717 933 or go to www.4jtv.co.uk.

National Family Week is back, and 2011 is set to be bigger and better than ever!

Get involved by running an event for families, raise awareness of your organisation or cause. Any one wanting to create an event for National Family Week can access event ideas, theme w toolkits, promotional materials and more via the Partner Zone on their website. to To date, thousands of organisations from across the UK including local authorities, T ccharities, sporting clubs, schools, community groups, children’s centres and faith ggroups have all taken part in National Family Week. Start planning and join in the UK’s biggest celebration of family life.

Go to www.nationalfamilyweek.co.uk

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Families Westt PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

March – April 2011

March – April 2011

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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The cost of paid work Having a job when your children are young just got more expensive. Joanna Moorhead explains why.

We’re all in this together – we’ve all heard that, many times, from our politicians about our country’s financial problems.

But from April, if you’re a working parent you could be forgiven for thinking you were maybe taking more than your fair share of the hit.

Why so? Well, that’s when cuts to state-funded help with childcare announced in last year’s comprehensive spending review start to kick in: and what they’ll mean is a cut in income of up to £1,300 a year to some families in London, according to the thinktank Resolution Foundation.

Chancellor George Osborne announced last year that the percentage of childcare costs recoverable through the working tax credit system would be reduced form 80% to 70% this month. But, says the Resolution Foundation, many families are still unaware of the changes – and, says its chief executive Gavin Kelly, those on middle-to-low incomes are the ones likely to find the losses hardest to bear.

“Many parents find support with childcare costs absolutely essential to staying in work, and the big worry is that some will now find that work doesn’t pay,” he says. And he points out that, coming after recent rises in travel costs, the cuts come at a time when families are feeling the pinch very hard indeed.

After all, for working parents childcare cuts don’t just represent a loss of income: they force parents to think about whether working when their children are young is actually worth the effort at all. Given that the government is committed to helping parents to work if they want to, that doesn’t make much sense.

To be totally fair about it, of course, a two-parent family should view the costs of childcare as a proportion of their joint income. But in practice, how it’s seen by most couples is as a proportion of the mother’s wage. And if the proportion of that income spent on travel, lunches and childcare becomes too high, then many mothers start to think: what’s the point of carrying on working?

After all, life is hard enough when you’ve got a small child or small children; if the money you’re bringing in is making a big material difference to your family, then it’s worth it. But when it ceases to do that, you might as well reduce the stress in your own life and increase the amount of time you spend with your child or children, and quit work.

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

March – April 2011

© LEYF

Childcare

The problem in the UK, as compared with many other countries in Europe, is that childcare costs already eat up a huge proportion of a family’s income – 33%, according to recent figures from the OECD, compared with 4% of a family’s income in Belgium, 11% of a family’s income in France, and even compared with 19% of a family’s income in the US.

Childcare Say that you saw it advertised in Families West Magazine

And many campaigners argue that failing to invest in childcare, and so reducing the proportion of a family’s income spent on childcare, is failing the long-term economic future of the country. After all, working mothers are extremely valuable to the economy: they’re paying into their pensions, they’re learning new skills, they’re keeping their confidence up, and even if they only tread water while their children are young, they’re keeping connected with the world of work in a way that will make it much easier to up a gear when their children are at school.

From the government’s point of view, of course, the changes to working tax credit are all part of a cuts package that has to affect everyone in the land. This month’s changes to the childcare element of the credit will save £270m next year, rising to £385m by 2014-15. The policy is one of several deficit reduction measures which will hit families, including an end to the £250 child trust fund for new babies, and the cutting of child benefit from 2013 to families where one parent is a higher-rate taxpayer.

What’s especially unfair is that, if women leave the workplace when their children are tiny, they often find their working choices hugely reduced when they try to return to work three, or five, or even ten years down the line.

And given that we’re being encouraged to anticipate living longer, and working for longer, that makes no sense.

The cost of childcare: what mums say I’ve got two children aged two and three, and to be honest I reckon it costs me to work. Around 70% of my income goes on childcare, and the rest is eaten up in travel, lunches and clothes to wear for work. I keep telling myself that it’s a long-term investment in my capacity to work when the children are older and at full-time school, but there are days when that rings very hollow indeed. The truth is that it’s a real slog, working so hard when you’ve got small children... somewhere in your mind you know they’re happiest when they’re with you, and you know you’re happiest when you’re with them, and if you’re not even making money out of it, there comes a point when you think: why bother.

(Julie, 37, works in marketing) I’ve worked out that unless I can earn at least £35,000 a year, it’s simply not worth going back – so, for the moment, I’ve decided to stay at home. What worries me is how I’ll get back into the job market – I feel that while I’m at home I’m not getting the kind of experience employers are interested in, and that my confidence will be much-diminished by the time I’m ready to put in job applications again. Like many working parents I’d rather work part-time than full-time, but working part-time means an even lower salary, and you still have to get yourself into the office, buy lunches and so on, and that costs a huge amount. What I need is a system under which my children could get good, affordable childcare so that I could at least keep my toe in the water with my job, for the long-term.

(Suzy, 34, former curator)

More information Daycare Trust http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk/ Working Families http://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/ Childcare tax credits: http://www.direct.gov.uk/

FW01 March – April 2011

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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Crawl

before you Walk

Parents look forward to their baby’s first steps, but as the saying goes you “crawl before you walk.” It’s like a caterpillar slowly cracking out of its shell before it can lift off and take its first flight as a butterfly. In the same way, babies must learn to hold up their head, reach with their arms, roll, sit and crawl. These skills provide the foundations for more complex movements and future learning such as a baby’s first step.

Medical professionals and parents often overlook the importance of crawling for babies. Parents rush to skip milestones to quickly reach the desired and exciting skill of walking. For example, babies are often made to sit before they can roll over, or held up to walk before they can come to sit or crawl. This is not best for every child and can impact other developmental areas.

Benefits of Crawling Gross Motor: ■ Increases strength and coordination throughout the body ■ Builds neck, back and stomach muscles to sit and stand upright ■ Develops cross-crawl patterning – (i.e. right arm moves with left leg, and vice versa). This reciprocal movement pattern lays strong foundations for walking, running, and climbing stairs.

■ Decreases tactile sensitivities by providing deep pressure input to the hands

■ Provide your child as much opportunity to move without restrictive devices such as seats, playpens and standers

■ Activates muscles and joints of trunk, arms and legs for body and spatial awareness

■ While the baby is lying on their belly, have them push off against your hands with their feet to move forward

■ Builds muscles that coordinate breathing for self-soothing

■ Have child sit between an adult’s legs and lunge over them for favourite toys

■ Development of motor planning (praxis) as child plans how to move their body from point A to B

■ Avoid excessive use of walkers or standers which prevent a baby from developing good strength to move around

Academic: ■ Improves attention ■ Develops communication between both hemispheres of the brain for higher level skills such as reading, speech and communication ■ Develops depth perception and binocular vision as child’s eyes learn to focus and move from looking far away to nearby their hands while crawling.

These same eye movements are used to throw and catch a ball, read or copy from the board.

Besides not achieving these benefits, other negative effects of not crawling can include being unsteady while walking, slumping forward with body, having a weak pencil grasp or tiring easily.

How to encourage crawling?

■ Bearing weight on hands develops arches in the palm necessary to hold and manipulate objects

** These activities require constant supervision from an adult for the child’s safety. If a child has special needs or medical issues, please consult with their medical team first.

■ Develops shoulder, arm, wrist and thumb stability for writing

■ Dress your baby so they can move easily

■ Develops both sides of the body so children learn to cross midline and acquire hand dominance

■ Add motivation and necessity so the child themselves must reach, plan and move for desired toys

Fine Motor:

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Sensory Processing:

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

■ Crawl through a tunnel, climb into a large basket (held still by an adult) or ball pool, crawl over obstacles like sofa cushions or adults legs

Conclusion: There are so many vital benefits of crawling. Children who find it the hardest to crawl need to do so the most for future development of sensory processing, motor and learning skills.

Remember not to prematurely encourage children to sit, crawl or walk as this places excessive physical stress on their spine, bones and muscles and can delay development.

If worried about your child’s development, seek advice from an Occupational Therapist with infant expertise.

It’s never too early to get support or treatment and prevent even minor problems from escalating.

Munira Adenwalla, MS, OTR/L Registered Occupational Therapist www.ot4kids.co.uk 07540113126

March – April 2011

March – April 2011

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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Baby Page

By Joanna Parry

Baby Exercise

– not just a fad

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Finley Davies Muir photographed by Jez Dixon for Water Babies

•

n recent years, new mums have found that there has been an explosion of classes for babies, from baby massage to music, signing to singing, gymnastics to yoga. Many of these classes are valuable both for baby’s development as well as a way of meeting other mums, but recently research has been undertaken that pushes the importance of some of these classes to the fore, with the theory that exercise in infancy is vital in maintaining a child’s lifelong health. This may seem like a fad, but concerned parents are flocking to exercise classes catering for children of all ages, including those too young to even crawl.

The science According to some paediatric experts, parents who use prams, playpens, car seats and bouncing chairs for hours at a time may be delaying not only their child's physical development but their mental development too. “The need for even the very young to be physically active is something parents often don't understand,” says Jane Clark of the University of Maryland, USA. “The earlier infants and toddlers get exposure to daily movement and exercise, the better the likelihood of healthy development in later life.” In fact, regular exercise in the very young encourages the kind of development that may be critical for health in later life, as during infancy the brain is developing pathways and connections to the muscles. Children who do not get enough exercise may miss out on the chance to make the strong kinds of brain-muscle connections that make physical activity easier, more enjoyable and more likely to become a life-long habit avoiding obesity and other weight-related conditions. The lesson learned – keep your baby active and it will set them up for a healthier life.

Early Days Although it may not seem like much, a newborn baby's daily routine of changing, bathing, crying and growing is enough exercise for them. In fact, a newborn is exercising many of its muscles in the very act of feeding at the breast, and crying is important for the lungs and diaphragm and plays a large part in the development of the baby’s musculature. One exercise you can do at this stage is baby massage, a great way to physically and emotionally bond with your baby, and a soothing and relaxing experience for babies.

You can do baby massage at home or in a class – for tips go to www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/.../babies_massage or www.makewayforbaby.com/massages.

Exercise classes Once a baby reaches 4 months, there are a plethora of baby exercise classes out there. This doesn't mean your baby needs to take weight-lifting classes down the gym (in fact, there are no dumbbells involved at all!), but parents keen to give their little one a good start in life are looking to yoga, swimming and developmental play classes for their tots. There are many classes that are taking place at your local children’s centre so do pop in and ask.

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

Start with a baby massage class, where simple massage techniques help stimulate your baby's senses. Many local health services run free massage classes at the local children’s centre (search your local council website), and there are plenty of private classes around too.

Try The Life Centre at 15 Edge Street, London W8 020 7221 4602 E: info@thelifecentre.com, www.thelifecentre.com Eilis Devendra runs baby massage classes all around West London. Classes are suitable from birth to pre crawling. She teaches private 1-1 or group classes. Gift vouchers available.

07843 204830 eilisdevendra@hotmail.com www.iaim.org.uk Liz Pinder runs private 1-1 and group sessions, as well as classes in Ealing. www.serenity-ealing.co.uk 07913 214071 St Mary’s run a group for all those who were born at the hospital. These classes must be booked via the midwife at The Parent Education Centre: 020331 21402. www.thewestover.com •

Baby yoga is a great way to encourage baby-parent interaction.

Through free-flowing movement, touch and sound, babies learn better coordination, sitting and standing techniques and motor skills. Proponents of yoga say it also helps alleviate problems such as colic and constipation. “You do things like bend their legs, push their knees up to their chests and make hip circles,” says Sally, mum of two. “You can be surprisingly firm as you move them around as they are so flexible, and they seem to like being manipulated.”

Try Alice Morgan is running a free 6 week course at the Queen’s Park Children’s Centre, 88 Bravington Rd, W9 and will be starting more classes at other venues in West London in June. 07808 586 153 www.thebabyyogacompany.com The Life Centre at 15 Edge Street, London W8 020 7221 4602 E:info@thelifecentre.com, www.thelifecentre.com •

Swimming – babies are born with natural swimming reflexes which, if not developed, they lose at 8-10 months. Swimming not only helps with bonding, but exercise in the water is particularly good because it supports the weight of the baby.

Most local leisure centres in West London that have pools will run baby swimming classes.

Try www.waterbabies.co.uk Baby Dolphins (South Kensington) 07944 711 617 •

Baby gym classes have sprung up across the UK in recent years, with sessions from as young as 3 months. What you get depends upon where you go, but many have ball pits, trampolines, basic gymnastics equipment, crawl tunnels and soft play areas to teach babies and toddlers about rhythm, movement, coordination skills and dance through a series of fun tumbling exercises.

Check out www.thelittlegym.co.uk and www.amandasactionclub.co.uk

Websites For more tips on exercising, playing and bonding with your baby and for more baby exercise classes go to: www.birthlight.com www.babybuilders.com www.familyfitnessexpert.co.uk www.kidsexercise.co.uk www.babysensory.com www.jigalongbabes.co.uk www.babylovesdisco.co.uk

We have included some exercises you can do at home with your baby on our website.

Look them up on www.familieswest.co.uk and give them a try.

March – April 2011

Education

March – April 2011

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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Education News

New playground at Avenue House School A new Early Years Playground was created with part funding from the London Borough of Ealing 'Learning Through Landscapes' scheme for children at Avenue House School Nursery and Reception class. The Foundation Stage now has a bright and stimulating outside learning environment comprising of a variety of textured areas, that the children can use in a range of different weathers and learning situations.The area is now a colourful, soft, wetpour ground and a circle of artificial grass has been added for the children to sit on. Large stepping stones can be used as a place to sit quietly and also provide the children with the opportunity to climb and practise balancing skills – all situated under a large awning to allow for access in all weathers. There is also a planting and digging area and we have bought planters to plant lavender, herbs and flowers in the spring.

Find out more by calling the school on 020 8998 9981. Avenue House is at 70 The Avenue, Ealing, W13.

E: school@avenuehouse.org www.avenuehouse.org

Forget Protesting – Start Saving With the recent student protests against increased tuition fees still rumbling around us, more and more parents are growing concerned about their children’s future education. As a result of the higher tuition fees, plus exploding living costs, students now face the prospect of finishing university with total debts of well over £30,000. Although the Government insists that students won’t have to begin repayments until they are earning a decent wage packet, and that poorer students will be better off than they were under the previous Government’s fee structure, it is still a terrifying figure to be faced with. With such huge sums of money looming in front of parents, many are deciding to start saving now. But the figures are jaw-dropping: if you want to provide your child with the money to leave university debt free, you need to save at least £200 per month from your child’s birth until their 18th birthday (assuming inflation of 2.5% pa and net investment returns of 5.5% pa). And if you don’t start at day one the figures are even worse – delaying the start until your child’s 5th birthday means that you would need to save a whopping £377 per month! Perhaps it’s time to open that Child Trust Fund…

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

March – April 2011

Education

March – April 2011

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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Enjoy quality time with your kids this

© National Trust

Plasticine Candles and Soup Creative Contemporary Dance in Chiswick @ West London Buddhist Vihara, The Avenue, W4.

2 p.m. Happy Monkeys (17 – 36 months) 2:45 p.m. Nurturing Danceways (7 – 17 months) 3:40 p.m. Kool Dancers (6 – 10 years) 4:30 p.m. Tiny Dancers (31/2 years – 5 years) Every Wednesday Go to www.plasticinecandlesandsoupdance.com Call Joasia 07958 207 940 / e: joanna.tapson@tiscali.co.uk

Easter

Whether you’re a working parent looking to spend time with your brood over the Easter weekend, or a full-time mum desperate to fill a long school holiday, here are a few ideas to try out with your children. With a bit of planning and a few inspired ideas, you can avoid the tantrums and arguments and tear your darlings away from the TV and the Wii and enjoy the Easter break, rather than finding yourself counting down the days until school starts again!

Plan the day

Cooking Parties!

• Fun, cooking parties • For boys and girls aged 5-16 years • Cooking classes

Give your child the best party ever! whisking, baking, giggling, rolling, making, laughing, turning, licking, joking

A great way to learn while having fun!

Call for details:

0845 601 4173 email: carola@cookiecrumbles.net www.cookiecrumbles.net 14

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

The holidays are a great time to bring back some of the old fashioned games and spend real time with your kids. It can be hard at first, throwing yourself into games and activities, but this is the stuff that childhood memories are made of. It is important to plan your day: write out a holiday timetable of activities such as painting and board games for the morning and playing in the garden and a small amount of TV in the afternoon. If you let them drift from one cartoon to the other they’ll get frustrated very soon!

Activities at home With a little thought, you can come up with dozens of fun things to do at home, from building castles out of rubbish to dens in the garden, but when you run out of ideas, here are a few more.

■ let your hair down and release your inner-child. Roll around in the garden with your kids, make mud pies, dig for worms and make dens out of sheets and washing lines.

■ invest in some Play-Doh, art supplies and face paints and get creative

■ hardboil some eggs and paint with food colouring. When they are dry they are great for egg rolling – if you haven't got a hill, a slide will do!

■ water painting – paint with a clean paintbrush and a pot of water outside on walls, paving slabs, fences.

It’s very effective and the sun removes the evidence!

■ put a cloth on floor as a picnic rug and serve lunch on living room floor. Or in the garden.

■ home camping – hang a tablecloth over furniture, add a torch and a sleeping bag and have some fun!

■ decorate biscuits by mixing icing sugar and water in a bowl to make runny icing and decorate with sprinkles or smarties.

■ pass the parcel. Why save it for parties?

Your kids can do the wrapping too using old newspaper, with prizes as simple as a sticker or packet of raisins.

■ make pasta jewellery ■ roll a sheet of newspaper into a ball and play volleyball over a washing line.

■ make salt dough with 3 cups of plain flour, 1 cup salt and 1 cup water.

Model it like playdough and dry out finished models in a cool oven. Then paint and varnish.

■ treasure hunt – hide toys or sweets around the home and give your kids clues to find them. Kids like setting the hunts too. Alternatively, devise a nature trail where they have to find a series of items such as different coloured leaves.

■ set up a home cinema in your living room: close the curtains, rearrange the furniture, make tickets and prepare snacks before putting on your favourite DVD. ■ apple bobbing. Float an apple in a bowl of water and get your kids to try to bite it without using their hands. If you don't mind mess you can repeat the game with a chocolate or grape in a bowl of flour!

■ hit the park and get active. Borrow the nearest friendly dog and go for a walk, or set up an obstacle course in the garden with buckets, chairs, tables, gardens rakes… anything goes really!

■ the holidays are the perfect time to clear out old toys or games and replace them with new finds from the charity shop or swap with friends. Take the chance to reintroduce some traditional board games and toys into the mix.

■ encourage your kids to dig a vegetable patch of their own in your garden. If you don’t have any outside space, make a mini garden by filling a plant tray with earth and arranging small sprigs of leaves, daisies and grass over the soil.

Try small pebbles for paths and foil for a pond.

March – April 2011

Invite their friends over When you’ve run out of ideas, invite your children’s friends over to play. You may think double the children means double trouble, but it’s often easier for them to have playmates around to entertain each other. It also means they will get invited back, giving you a much-needed break!

Don’t interfere If you have more than one child and they are playing nicely together let them get on with it. You don’t have to be involved in everything they are doing!

Give them some jobs to do for pocket money Children like to earn their own money and to get a bit of responsibility – they will often jump at the chance to do a chore that you have been putting off for ages.

Give them a treat Take them on a trip to a theme park, swimming pool or cinema as a special treat. Make full use of local resources to find out what’s going on in your area – there are always free activities and events going on during school holidays. Visit your local council's website and or parenting sites for ideas.

Enrol them into a local workshop 18-20 Apr PERFORM DRAMA WORKSHOPS – WIND IN THE WILLOWS Join Mole, Ratty, Badger and Mr Toad on a magical drama adventure. For ages 4-8. Drama, dance and music workshop using original live music, funky dance and quick-witted improvisation. On the final day, family and friends are all invited to a magical mini-performance.

0845 400 4000 or 020 7255 9138 www.perform.org.uk Venues: Ealing at St Barnabas Millennium Hall, Pitshanger Lane, W5 from 2.30 – 4.30pm Notting Hill at St Peter’s Hall, 59a Portobello Rd, W11 from 2.30-4.30pm.

Chiswick at St Michael’s Hall, Elmwood Rd, W4 from 10am-12 noon.

March – April 2011

11-28 Apr COOKIE CRUMBLES COOKERY WORKSHOPS FOR KIDS Easter themed workshops (lots of chocolate!) for 5-10 year olds and 9-16 year olds. Go to the website for details of individual days.

Venue: Maggie & Rose, 58 Pembroke Rd, London W8 6NX. 0845 6014173 or www.cookiecrumbles.net 11-15 Apr and 18-21 Apr FIT FOR SPORT KIDS CAMP For ages 3-12, Standard Day is from 9.30am-4.30pm, (£27 per day), Extended Day is from 8.30am-5.30am (£34 per day) and half day 9.30am-1pm (for ages 3-4 only) £16.

Venues: Belmont Primary School, Belmont Road, Chiswick, London, W4 5UL The Brentham Club, 38a Meadvale Road, London, W5 1NP Montpelier Primary School, Montpelier Road, Ealing, W5 2QT 0845 456 3233 www.fitforsport.co.uk 11-14 Apr CHISWICK HOLIDAY COURSES A huge variety of creative learning classes for children ages 5-16, including Art, Pottery, Drama, Photography, Film making, Cooking & Craft, Young Inventors, Robots with Lego, Entrepreneur Workshop, Creative Writing, Fashion, Knitting, Musical Theatre, Gardening, Jewellery Making.

Venue: The Ellen Wilkinson School, Queens Drive, W3. 020 8742 3936 www.chiswickcourses.co.uk

FUN WITH FIMO CLAY CRAFT WORKSHOPS Fun and creative session, fully supervised and non messy! Recommended for ages 6 +. Workshops take place in Acton, W3. £45 per session.

5 Apr Tatty Teddy’s Easter Egg Hunt 10am to 4pm 12 Apr Mouse in a Matchbox bed 10am to 4pm 19 Apr Make a miniature Easter Feast 10am to 4pm Clare McKnight 020 8992 3767 E:fimofun@tiscali.co.uk to book or be placed on her mailing list & visit www.funwithfimoclay.co.uk Many more listings on our website Go to www.familieswest.co.uk Websites http://www.rspb.org.uk/youth/makeanddo/index.asp www.allfreecrafts.com http://familyfun.go.com/ http://golondon.about.com/od/aprilannualevents/tp/ eastertop10.htm http://www.kidsturncentral.com/links/esitelinks.htm www.timeout.com/london www.A-LittleBird.com

Say that you saw it advertised in Families West Magazine

MUSIC HOUSE FOR CHILDREN 11 Apr A Royal Knees Up Musical storytelling workshop for ages 0-5, 10-11am. £10 12 Apr Musical Theatre Workshop For ages 5-11, 10am-12.30pm, £20 Venue: 306-310 Uxbridge Rd, W12 7LJ 020 8932 2652 www.musichouseforchildren.co.uk 19-21 Apr MONSTER CAT THEATRE Three day holiday workshop for ages 5-11, 10am-3pm.£80 (£70 for siblings) Venue: All Saints Hall, Ealing Common, W5.

020 8567 5276 E:monstercat@monstercat.plus.com 11-21 Apr HOLLAND PARK ECOLOGY CENTRE Two sessions each day with natural history and Easter themed craft and outdoor activities for 5 to 10 year olds. Sessions cost £4 per child and children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

Venue: The Stable Yard, Ilchester Place, London W8 6LU 020 7938 8186 E:ecology.centre@rbkc.gov.uk www.rbkc.gov.uk/ecology

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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What's On DAYS OUT KEW GARDENS Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB 020 8332 5655 www.kew.org E: info@kew.org 9.30am-5.30pm. Adults £13.90, Concessions £11.90, Children free. Garden, cafes, and shops open everyday.

Perfect for families: Climbers and Creepers Zone and the Treetop Walkway 24 Apr. EASTER EGG HUNT Children can pick up the tokens needed to collect a delicious Green & Black's Easter chocolate treat from the Easter Bunny at Climbers and Creepers.

Diary Dates

Mothering Sunday – National Trust

EVENTS THE IDEAL HOME SHOW 11-17 Mar. Earl’s Court, London 0844 415 4144 www.idealhomeshow.co.uk. Britain’s best loved consumer home event! £11 to £18.

ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE AND FESTIVAL 13 Mar.Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS 11.30am-6pm. Floats, street theatre, music and dance.

RHS LONDON ORCHID SHOW & RHS BOTANICAL ART SHOW 19-20 Mar. RHS Horticultural Halls, Westminster, London. 10am-5pm www.rhs.org.uk/flowershows See rare and exotic orchids from across the globe and view magnificent botanical art from the RHS archives.

COUNTRY LIVING SPRING FAIR 23-27 Mar. Business Design Centre, London 0844 848 0152 www.countrylivingfair.com/spring Shop for unique gifts and treats and enjoy a great day out! £16 THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE 26 Mar. www.theboatrace.org. Go and join the fun on the banks of the Thames between Mortlake and Putney and cheer on the rowers.

YUMMY MUMMY WEEK – 26 March-3 April. “At home” and “working Mums” between the age of 25 and 45 can organise some great “get together” events, have a brilliant time and raise money to help families where a child has cancer. There are lots of ways you can get involved – from pamper nights and coffee mornings to dinner parties and ‘dress-pink’ days at work – and all the money raised will help CLIC Sergeant continue to provide clinical, practical and emotional support for children and young people with cancer, and their families.

Getting involved is easy; just visit www.yummymummy.org.uk to register for a FREE fundraising pack.

Events organised locally include: 26 Mar. Pre-Mothers Day Yummy Mummy Photoshoot 9.20am – 3pm.

To book e: claire@clairemassinghamphotography.co.uk or call 07941 279 534 28 Mar – 1 Apr. Coffee Morning 10am-noon, Lifestyles Restaurant, Uxbridge College, Hayes Community Campus, College Way, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 3BB 29 Mar. Yummy Mummy Pamper Night 4 - 9pm, in Hayes. Call 01895 853749 www.yummymummystogether.blogspot.com EASTER CRAFT FAIR 2 Apr. 11am-3pm at Askew Rd Library, 87-91 Askew Rd, W12 9AS Stalls offering handmade art and craft items and tombola. E: marion.rivenell@lbhf.gov.uk VIRGIN LONDON MARATHON 17 Apr. The Mall, SW1Y 5AH THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY GUN SALUTES 21 Apr. Hyde Park, W2 2UH A loud, spectacular and smoky display with a total of 41 rounds of cannon and gun shots fired by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in Hyde Park at 12 noon.

ST GEORGE’S DAY 23 Apr. Trafalgar Square. Free entertainment, live bands, food stalls and street actors.

THE ROYAL WEDDING 29 Apr. Westminster Abbey, SW1P 3PA Best place to catch a glance is along the Mall by Admiralty Arch or anywhere along Whitehall.

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

24 Apr. EASTER ARTS AND CRAFTS WORKSHOPS Children can create Easter designs. Also Peyton and Byrne, Kew’s new caterers, reveal the process of chocolate making and give you a chance to taste the goods. Afterwards drop into one of the ‘hands-on’ sessions in the Secluded Garden Glasshouse (Wednesdays and Sundays) for a closer look at the inner workings of the chocolate tree.

ODDS FARM PARK Wooburn Common Rd, Wooburn Common, High Wycombe, Bucks HP10 0LX 01628 520 188 .co.uk www.oddsfarm.co.uk Open everyday 10am-5.30pm. pm.

Cut out the £9.20 adults £8.20 children,, voucher on page under 2’s free.

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Children can get up close for a free child to a whole range of rare place. breed farm animals as well as play in the heated barn (which has a cook Astra Slide and haybales to climb), soft play, indoor sandpit and games area. This Spring there will be lambs to bottle feed, (and maybe one being born while you visit!), tractor and trailer rides, Go-Kart racing, Adventure Maze and the opening of the new "Funny Bunnies" in the Hands On area.

GUNNERSBURY PARK Popes Lane, W3 8LQ 020 8992 2247/1612 www.hounslow.info/gunnersburyparkmuseum The Gunnersbury Park mansions are set within a beautiful 75 hectare park which includes an Orangery, ‘Princess Amelia’s’ Bath house, Gothic Ruins and the Stables.

Gunnersbury Park House (the Large Mansion) is the home of the local history museum. To the west of the mansions is a round pond and close to this a café, (open all year round), a mid-18th century Temple and Italian garden, and a large children’s play area.

10 Apr. AWESOME ARCHAEOLOGY! Free Family Activity Day Exploring Archaeology. 11.30am – 4.30pm.Hands-on activities and lots of fun! Bring history to life by dressing as a Roman legionary or Queen Boudicca; handle 2000-year-old artefacts and quiz our visiting archaeologist; experience life ‘below stairs’ as a servant in our original Victorian kitchens. Museum entrance and all activities are free.

March – April 2011

HAM HOUSE

What's On

Ham Street, Ham, Richmond upon Thames TW10 7RS 020 8940 1950 Garden, shop and café open everyday, 11am-5pm. House open every day except Friday 11.30am-3.30pm, then 12-4pm from 2 April.

Until 31 Mar. GUIDED TOURS which take in baking demonstrations and food testing in its historic kitchen.

In March. “TASTER TOUR” (Thus, Sat, Sun) The large grounds can be explored with a self-guided garden trail for children, whilst a garden toy box provides further free entertainment.

From 2 Apr. VISITORS ARE FREE TO EXPLORE THE MANSION ALONE, which children can do with the aid of a house trail that introduces them to exciting and colourful past. Plus, hands-on activities.

3 Apr. On MOTHERING SUNDAY Children will have the opportunity to create a hand-made floral gift for Mums, whilst the Orangery restaurant is running a special Mothering Sunday offer of a free glass of wine or soft drink with every two course meal.

22-25 Apr. CADBURY TRAIL Children can hunt for clues which leads to a very chocolatey “Egghead”, plus children’s entertainment, facepainting, family activities and games.

OSTERLEY PARK Jersey Road, Isleworth, Middlesex TW7 4RB Garden, shop and café open Wednesday to Sunday 11am-5pm (house 12-3.30pm) Park open every day.

Until 27 Mar. SPECIAL FAMILY GUIDED TOURS. From 30 Mar. VISITORS ARE FREE TO EXPLORE THE HOUSE ON THEIR OWN, with children’s aids including an interactive handset, junior guidebook, wooden compass and marigold counter which reveals more about Osterley’s exotic past.

27 Mar. FAMILY DISCOVERY DAY Children can find out more about the rich textiles in the house using creative hands-on activities and storytelling. 12-4pm, free upon normal adm, no bkg.

March – April 2011

3 Apr. Children can treat Mums to a spring time posy with a little help from the flower arranging team at the MAKE MUM DAY CRAFT WORKSHOP 12-4pm. GARDEN TOURS A garden quiz leads children on a tour of discovery around the grounds, including a rare cork oak tree and a boathouse island.

21 Apr. CRAFT CART Craft related activities for children.

24 & 25 Apr. EASTER EGG TRAIL, CRAFT ACTIVITIES, FACE PAINTING 12-4pm, £2.50

BATTERSEA PARK CHILDREN’S ZOO Battersea Park, Chelsea Bridge Gate, London SW11 020 7924 5826 www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk Daily from 10am. Usual child entrance fee £6 with activities.

9, 16, 23 & 30 Mar. STORY TIME WEDNESDAYS 11am. Listen to animal story, colour in their picture and then go out into zoo to meet the real life characters!

Sat 19 Mar. MAD MARCH HARE EARS DAY! Children who visit the zoo today wearing rabbit ears can claim a free poster!

HMS BELFAST Tooley Street, London SE1 2JH 020 7403 6246 www.hmsbelfast.iwm.org.uk Open Daily 10am-5pm. £10.80/£13.50, children under 16s free.

12 & 13 Mar. SHIP’S CONSERVATION Drop-in 11am-12.30pm & 2pm-4pm. Get your hands dirty and examine objects that relate to the ongoing work of London’s largest conservation project, HMS Belfast. A unique opportunity to learn more about the process from experts.

Suitable for all ages with parental supervision.

1 April INTERACTIVE OPERATIONS ROOM HMS Belfast could once be controlled from the Operations Room, the nerve centre and brain of the entire ship. Visitors can now imagine exactly what this would have been like as the Operations Room is updated with exciting interactives.

9-24 Apr. WAVING OR DROWNING: SIGNALLING AND SIGNALS Drop-in 11am-12.30pm & 2-4pm. Learn about signalling in the navy and participate in sending and decoding messages. From the Gun platform or the flag deck weather permitting and shore side when possible.

25 Apr-1 May ROYAL NAVAL AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY A week of activities relating to radio communication including Morse code and signal flags.

SNAKES AND LADDERS Syon Park, Brentford, Middlesex TW8 8JF 020 8847 0946 www.snakes-and-ladders.co.uk Open daily 10am-6pm. £3.90 to £7.30.

Thu 17 Mar. ST PATRICK’S DAY FUN! Wear green and save £1 on child entry.

Make sure you download your voucher at www.snakes-andladders.co.uk/offers and bring it.

EVERY THURSDAY DURING TERM TIME. ARTY CRAFTY THURSDAYS 11am.

New fun and exciting activities every week.

EVERY TUESDAY DURING TERM TIME. MUSICAL MAYHEM 11am. Toddlers can enjoy dance, musical instruments and all their favourite songs.

LONDON DUCK TOURS 020 7928 3132 or www.londonducktours.co.uk London Duck Tours is a sightseeing company that offers tours from a fleet of bright yellow amphibious vehicles originally used for the D. Day landings in 1944. It is the only sightseeing tour that combines a trip on land and river.

BRAND NEW TOUR: THE D-DAY DUCK TOUR. The tour will take passengers back in time to London’s home front during the Second World War. In a lively, entertaining and informative adventure suitable for all the family, a professional character tour guide will reveal London’s most important Second World War sights. This tour will operate the first Sunday of every month. £16 to £22.

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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What's On GALLERIES SOMERSET HOUSE Strand, London WC2 1LA 020 78454600, www.somerset.org.uk SATURDAYS FREE FAMILY WORKSHOPS: 2pm-3.30pm. Free Family Workshops. Collect tickets from 1pm from the information desk in the Seamen’s Hall on the day. Children 6-12yrs must be accompanied by an adult.

FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 11: DRAWING SUNDAYS: 11am-12.20pm, repeated 2pm-3.20pm, alternate Sundays. Young artists explore how National Gallery paintings can be used as inspiration STUDIO SUNDAYS: 11am-1pm, repeated 2pm-4pm, alternate Sundays. Hands-on workshops that start in the Gallery followed by a studio session. For ages 5-11.

27 Mar & 3 Apr. SHOOTING STARS Find your Hopes and Dreams in the mystical universe and make your own heavenly body.

13 Mar & 17 Apr. ART’S THE BUSINESS Meet important people and experiment with “frottage”, or paper-block printing, revealing sumptuous secrets.

20 Mar & 10 Apr. TINY STUDIO Did artists 500 years ago use candlelight or electric light?, create your own shoebox studio.

Somerset House

5 Mar. TRACING PLACES Uncover clues about Somerset House’s past in the signs and traces left on the building and then create our own architecturally inspired monoprint.

12 Mar. HATS OFF! Transform the twodimensional into 3D, and design your own headdresses and hats in the style of those found in some of the portrait masterpieces in The Courtauld Gallery.

19 Mar. BOOKED AND HOOKED Design your own illustrations for a well-loved fable or song using pop-up storybook techniques.

26 Mar. POSTER CAMPAIGN Create dazzling poster designs to market a product or brand of your own invention.

2 Apr. CABINETS OF CURIOSITY Explore furniture designs of John Makepeace and create your own cabinet of delight.

9 and 16 Apr. SPRING HOLIDAY DROP IN. 11am-1pm and 2-4pm. Suitable for all ages.

BIRDS OF PARADISE Help to create a colourful collage of exotic birds and animals.

30 Apr. MYTH MAKERS Paint the landscape of your dreams inspired by the Victorian drawings and watercolours exhibition.

SUNDAY MINI MAKE BELIEVE WORKSHOP First Sunday of every month, for children aged 5 and under. Drama, games, crafts, and storytelling. 11.30am-12.30pm 6 Mar. CIRCUS SURPRISE.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN 020 7747 2894/2885 www.nationalgallery.or.uk and for family events www.nationalgallery.org.uk/what FAMILY SUNDAYS Fun activities designed especially for families to enjoy and learn together. Free hands-on art workshops at 11am & 2pm every Sunday. Meet in the Education Centre Foyer (orange St entrance).

Workshops last 2hrs.

FOR CHILDREN AGED 2 TO 5: MAGIC CARPET STORYTELLING 10.30am-11am & 11.30am-12noon every Sunday. Fly away on the magic carpet, which comes to land in front of a different painting each Sunday.

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

24 Apr. LAYER CHASE Meet artist Aliki Braine and her dynamic zoo crew to create a kaleidoscopic animal escapade MORE GALLERY FUN TRAILS AND AUDIO TOURS Families can print it out from www.nationalgallery.org.uk/families or pick one up at Information Desks.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE 020 7306 0055, www.npg.org.uk/events Mon, Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun 10am-6pm. Late opening Thu, Fri 10am-9pm.

FAMILY EVENTS: Meet in the Ondaatje Wing Main Hall 19 Mar, 16 Apr. STORYTELLING FOR FAMILIES 10.30am & 1.30pm. Bring the Gallery’s portraits to life in this exciting storytelling sessions followed by a fun art activity.

19 Mar, 16 Apr. FAMILY ART WORKSHOP 11.30am & 2.30pm. Explore portraits in the Collection, followed by an art activity in this enjoyable family session. Free ticket required and available one hour before the event.

NEW FAMILY AUDIO GUIDE £6 for up to five audio players £4 for two audio players (one adult and one child) Explore amazing facts and stories about people in the Collection with specially recorded tours and interactive touch screen players. 7-11yrs

TATE BRITAIN Millbank, London SW1P 4RG 020 7887 8888 www.tate.org.uk/britain Open daily 10am-6pm. Until 10pm on the first Fri of the month.

FAMILIES TRAILS Available daily from the information desks. Free, for 5yrs and under.

Go on a journey around Tate Britain and post your discoveries into your POST IT! Box as you go. When you get home, open up the box and show your friends what you found. Or you could follow the JOIN UP! Trail: play the listening game, search for shapes, patterns and talking hands. and make your own sculptures.

ART TROLLEY ROTUNDA Every weekend, free, all ages. All things marvelous and messy can be found on the Art Trolley where kids are encouraged to imagine and create.

TATE MODERN Bankside, London SE1 020 7887 8888 www.tate.org.uk/modern Open Sun-Thu 10am-6pm. Fri & Sat 10am-10pm FAMILY ZONE Anytime during gallery hours.

Tate Modern, Level 3 Concourse. Free, 3yrs+.

A bright red family-friendly zone offering activities for all: stop here to browse fun art books. Meet the Start team and pick up games to play on selected dates.

CHILDREN MULTIMEDIA GUIDE Daily from the Information Desks on Levels 3 & 3. £4.50, 5yrs+. Will keep youngsters captivated and animate artworks through music, video clips and entertaining games – a sensory experience for all the family to enjoy.

START: WEEKEND SESSIONS Every weekend 12-4pm. Level 3 Concourse, free, 5yrs+ With the help of a friendly Start Team, stimulate your weekend with games, mapmaking or clue-matching. (BSL interpreter will be available on Sat 15 Jan) TATE MODERN FAMILY RESOURCES Available daily from the Information Desks on Levels 1 and 2. Free, for all ages. Pick up a free families resource and set off to explore the Galleries with paper-based activities that will help you look, enjoy and learn about art.

For more family listings visit: www.tate.org.uk/families/modern/

EXHIBITIONS & MUSEUMS NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Cromwell Road, London SW7. 020 7938 9123.

Info: Mon-Fri 020 7942 5000.

Sat & Sun 020 7942 5011. www.nhm.ac.uk Open: Mon-Sat: 10am – 5.50pm Sun: 11am-5.50pm. Free.

EXHIBITIONS: To 11 Mar. VEOLIA ENVIRONNEMENT WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR The world’s most prestigious showcase of wildlife photography is back with the latest winning entries from its annual international competition.

Visually stunning and often thought-provoking, the images provide an insight into the beauty, drama and variety of nature. £4.50 /£9, family £24. www.nhm.ac.uk/wildphoto To 2 Oct. SEXUAL NATURE A multisensory journey, allowing visitors to experience the diversity of methods exploited in seduction and reproduction. Through more than 100 real Museum specimens, learn how potential mates maximize reproductive potential and investigate how mate choice has evolved in humans. £4/£8, family £21.

22 Apr-4 Sept. AGE OF THE DINOSAUR Encounter lifesize animatronic dinosaurs, insects, mammals and lizards that were around 65 million years ago.

5 Apr-25 Sept. SENSATIONAL BUTTERFLIES Explore the five different sensory zones while learning about the surprising lives of butterflies.

DARWIN CENTRE: The hidden world of the Natural History Museum’s scientific collections and research. Daily 10am-5.50pm.

To book time tickets for Cocoon 020 7942 5725 or www.nhm.ac.uk/darwin-centre March – April 2011

EVENTS FOR FAMILIES: check the full listing on www.nhm.ac.uk/whats-on

What's On

Here some highlights: DINOSNORES Monthly sleepover at the museum.

Sats, Suns and School Hol. HANDS-ON NATURE: CORALS 2pm-5pm. Visit the handling trolley in “Lasting Impressions” and take a closer look at some interesting specimens with the help of science educators. Free.

19 Mar, 2 and 16 Apr. CRAFTY NATURE: OCEAN MAMMALS 11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm.

Use interesting materials to make fun creations based on natural history themes.

In the Mammal Gallery. Under 7yrs. Free.

27 Mar, 24 Apr. NATURAL PUPPET TALES. 12noon & 1.30pm. A lively storytelling workshop based on discovering amazing facts about the natural world.

Free, to reserve a place visit the Central Hall information Desk.

DAILY FAMILY ACTIVITES Younger visitors can pick up an Explorer backpack and take a mini adventure around the Museum.

SCIENCE MUSEUM Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD. Info & bkg 0870 870 4868. www.sciencemuseum.org.uk Open 10am-6pm. Adm is free but charges apply to some special exhibitions, IMAX cinema and simulator rides ATMOSPHERE: EXPLORING CLIMATE CHANGE This exhibition will transform the second floor of the Wellcome Wing in the Museum, making it THE destination to explore the science of climate change. The exhibition includes a 700 year-old Antarctic ice core and hopes to inform the public about Climate Science, its limitations and its history. Free.

FLY ZONE Visit the brand new Fly Zone simulator area where you take control in 360 degree flight simulators or fly with the red arrows in our sensational £D motion effects theatre. Charges apply.

IMAX 3D Cinema. Charges apply.

LAUNCHPAD SCIENCE SHOWS Launch a rocket, turn your head into a sound box and control a magnetic cloud and play with 50 more brand new interactive exhibits demonstrating light, sound, electricity and magnetism and more amazing physics phenomena. Free. 8-14yrs.

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM Lambeth Road, London SE1 6HZ. 10am-6pm.

020 7416 5320/5321. www.iwm.org.uk NEW EXHIBITION: To 30 Oct 2011.

ONCE UPON A WARTIME: CLASSIC WAR STORIES FOR CHILDREN The exhibition delves into the pages of wellloved books, bringing five stories of war dramatically to life.

Behind the scenes of the stories, see what inspired the authors to write their books, and find out about the historical context of each story through objects, photographs and films. £3.95 to £5.95, family £12.50.

March – April 2011

NEW FAMILY ACTIVITY: 5-6 Mar. STORY TELLING 11.30am, 1pm & 2pm.

Kids are invited to listen and participate in tales all of which link to the theme of children and war. 6yrs+. Free.

26-27 Mar. FAMILY INTRODUCTION TO THE HOLOCAUST 11am-12noon. This session is suitable for children aged 11 and above but please note that the holocaust Exhibition is recommended for children aged 14 and above. Free drop- in session.

9-22 Apr. DRAWING STORIES 11.30am & 2.30pm. The workshop will look at the role of the illustrator as storyteller. Michael Foreman and other illustrators will work with families to develop visual stories through drawing based on inspiration from the Museum's collections. There will be a link to the five themes of the exhibition – Separation, Loyalty, Excitement, Survival and Identity.

Suitable for children aged 6+

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E 7BB 020 7379 6344 www.ltmuseum.co.uk Mon-Thurs, Sat and Sun 10am-6pm, Fri 11am-6pm.

EXHIBITION: Until 31 Mar. UNDER ATTACK Aerial bombing raids from the perspective of public transport in London, Coventry and Dresden during the Second World War. 11-22 Apr. EASTER FAMILY FUN – Make and take art workshops for ages 5+ from 12-1.30pm and 2-3.30pm. Create a fantasy journey and design a new staff uniform for drivers for the New bus for London which will be on show at the museum.

26 Mar. GOING ON A BEAR HUNT, with Michael Rosen. 2.30pm-3.30pm. Enjoy an afternoon of poetry with this unique opportunity to meet one of the nation’s favourite poets.

Bookings taken from Mon 14 Mar 020 8983 5205 or email mocbookings@vam.ac.uk. Age 4-11. Children under 12 must be accompanied.

11-22 Apr. PLAYING WITH WORDS Storytelling 10.30, 11.15am and 12 noon and crafts from 2-4pm inspired by classic children’s tales.

15 Apr. LOST IN THE TOY MUSEUM Creative workshop in book illustration.

22 and 23 Apr. CHOCOLATE DECORATING 23 Apr. ST GEORGE’S DAY CELEBRATIONS 24 Apr. BUNNIES AND BONNETS Easter egg hunt.

CHURCHILL MUSEUM & CABINET WAR ROOMS Clive Steps, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AQ 020 7930 6961.

Open daily 9.30am-6pm. £12.80 to £15.95.

Under 16 free.

15-19 Mar. BOMBPROOF! An investigation exploring structures and forces, assessing how effective the War Room bunker would have been in the event of a bomb attack.

19 & 20 Mar, 11-25 Apr. CHURCHILL CABINET OF CURIOSITIES Drop-in 11am-12.30pm & 2pm-4pm. An engaging drop-in session where visitors can examine replica objects that have become unique symbols of Churchill, the most famous of British wartime leaders. and even try on the clothes! Entry included in adm price. Suitable for all ages with parental supervision.

12, 14, 19 and 21 Apr. SING ALONG AND STORY TIME For under 5’s. 11am and 4pm.

16 and 23 Apr. SPECIAL STORY TIME SESSIONS Join the resident storyteller to help make a unique and exciting story about the adventures of the New bus for London.

11am and 4pm. For under 5’s.

V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200, www.museumofchildhood.org.uk Daily 10am-5.45pm. Free.

EXHIBITION: To 25 Apr. FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD Explores how food plays a central role in our lives. Foodies young and old can explore eclectic displays of labour-saving gadgets and historic culinary devices and explore kitchen larder, packed with interesting food stories and nostalgic packaging. Visitors can also share their food likes and dislikes using special food phones.

EVENT FOR FAMILIES: 12 Mar. MONTESSORI FOR FAMILIES 11am-4pm.

Discover useful techniques to aid tour child’s learning with a practical workshop led by Montessori educators. Drop-in, all ages.

Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms

BRITISH MUSEUM Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, 020 7323 8000, www.britishmuseum.org Free family trails, activity backpacks, children’s multimedia guide, handling sessions for children Also free workshops for children every weekend posted on the website.

NEW EXHIBITION: To 3 July.

AGHANISTAN: CROSSROADS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD A unique opportunity to see an exceptional collection of over 200 objects which show how ancient Afghanistan was at the heart of a cultural crossroads. It revolves around precious objects drawn from some of the most important sites in the country. Each tells a story of how the inhabitants traded with or were influenced by the fashions of their ancient neighbours. Adm charge.

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Theatre RICHMOND THEATRE The Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1QJ 0844 871 7615 www.ambassadortickets.com 7-12 Mar. JOURNEY’S END R.C Sherriff’s Classic First World War Drama based on his experience of the Front and life in the trenches- it celebrates humour and courage in the face of certain tragedy.

Tue 5 – Sat 9 Apr. GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Charles Dickens re-imagined in nineteenth-century India. A stunning new version, painted in vivid colours across a vast landscape of characters and locations. £15 to £28.

PUPPET THEATRE BARGE Little Venice, Blomfield Road, London W9 2PF 020 7249 6876 www.puppetbarge.com £8.50/£10.

12/13 & 19/20 Mar. JOEY’S CIRCUS COME TO TOWN 3pm. With the help of Dog Toby, Punch saves Clown Joey’s circus from being shut down by the Beadle. Pretty Polly is the star. The show provides a lot of fun and laughter with added excitement as Pretty Polly walks the tightrope.

26/27 Mar, 2/3 Apr, 9 to 25 Apr. BRER RABBIT AND THE TAR BABY 3pm.

Carved marionettes, dramatic lighting and effects, specially composed music and story telling by well known stage and TV star Rudolph Walker will enchant and delight all ages.

THE LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THEATRE Lyric Square, King Street, London W6 0OL 0871 22 117 20 www.lyric.co.uk Saturdays shows 11am/1pm £6/£8, then “MESSY PLAY” arts and crafts activities £5, 12pm & 2pm. £9 for Show and Messy Play Workshop. Add Messy Play to your family ticket for just £3 extra per child. Family ticket £25.

SATURDAY SHOWS & FAMILY SUNDAYS 5 Mar. LOST AND FOUND Once there was a boy who found a penguin at his door. He didn’t know where it came from and he thought it must be lost. So he decided to help it find its way home even if that meant moving all the way to the South Pole. 4-7yrs.

12 Mar. LITTLE RED ROBIN HOOD Why is Robin Hood wearing girl’s clothes? Is it the Sheriff of Nottingham or the big bad wolf?

A merry mix up in the forest when two classic tales come together. 4-7yrs.

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

19 Mar. VIDEK’S SHIRT 10.30am, 12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm. Learn how sheep’s wool is made into a lovely warm shirt with Videk and his animal friends in this multi-sensory show exploring the countryside. Messy Play 11.30am, 1pm & 2.30pm. 2-5yrs.

26 Mar. SMALL WORLDS 10.30am, 12pm, 1.30pm & 3pm.

Step inside a magical tent and into the miniature worlds of a bug, a goose, a fox, a cat and a little girl. Brought to life with beautiful puppets, animated film and wonderful visual effects. Messy Play 11.30am, 1pm & 2.30pm.

27 Mar. FAMILY SUNDAY SHOWS 11.30am, 1pm & 2.30pm: Kids activities all day and relaxing areas for grown-ups.

2 Apr. THE WAY BACK HOME An inter-galactic adventure in which a little boy finds a plane and flies to the moon. He is lost and alone until a passing Martian lands there too.

Will they find their way back home? Ages 3-7.

UNICORN THEATRE 147 Tooley Street, Southwark, London SE1 2HZ 020 7645 0560 www.unicorntheatre.com 22-27 Mar. THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA, from the story by Oscar Wilde.

Adults and young people alike are invited by the Infanta, the Spanish Princess, to her twelfth birthday party.

This is the only day of the year she is allowed to play with other children, but mixing with those not of her own rank comes at a price. £9 /£11, family £32. 9yrs+.

29-30 Mar. THE DAY THE WATERS CAME The story of a teenage girl facing the shattering impact of Hurricane Katrina. £9/£11, family £32.

2 Apr-8May. THE THREE MUSKETEERS. With a contemporary twist to Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel, the show is full of adventure, intrigue, romance and swordfights. £8 to £12, family £34/£54.

WATERMANS 40 High Street, Brentford, London TW8 0DS 020 8232 1010 www.watermans.org.uk Shows £6.50 6 Mar. THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF AND OTHER FURRY TAILS This show weaves together lots of favourite fairy tales using puppets and props along with an “exciting gypsy soundtrack.” Ages 3-7.

13 Mar. OLD MOTHER HUBBARD A slapstick nursery rhyme journey with puppets, clowning and a feast of musical treats. Ages 3-6.

20 Mar. AMAZING MR NOAH Professor Popup is on holiday – but it’s raining cats and dogs. So, with suggestions from the audience, he uses things left behind from past holidays to rebuild the art and tell a most amazing story. An introduction to story telling with puppets, toys and everyday things. Ages 3-8.

27 Mar. THE FABULOUS FLUTTERBYS Hamish and Grace are searching for their missing friend. As they travel through their insect sized world they encounter a host of fabulous and fascinating creatures; they have a long and dangerous journey before they can become beautiful flutterbys.

Puppetry and live music.

Ages 3+ 3 Apr. POP! A fun filled magic show with Christian Lee, “king of comedy magic.” Ages 4+ (and adults) 10 Apr. THE BALLOON GARDENER Danny the Wild Balloon farmer has run out of balloons and must grow his own! Ages 4+ 17 Apr. TWO, FOUR, SIX, EIGHT Balloons, music and soft toys show how much fun numbers can be and the importance of sharing things. Ages 4-7.

BLOOMSBURY THEATRE 15 Gordon St, London WC1H 0AH 020 7388 8822 www.thebloomsbury.com 14 Apr. LITTLE HOWARD AND THE MAGIC PENCIL OF LIFE AND DEATH A family show featuring sing-a-long songs, 3D animation and interactive stand-up. £12/10 March – April 2011

What’s your child eating?

What you offer for dinner is an unexpectedly simple way to keep your family from battering Mother Earth. Homemade Kids author NICOLA BAIRD offers some ideas how cooking can be relaxing, creative and a lifesaver.

The most basic survival skill you can teach your child is how to eat healthily, because it ensures that they can choose, cook and grow the right stuff. Ideally, you seed this by giving your child a long start on breast milk. But even if the breastfeeding went painfully wrong, you can still provide really good, early food lessons by helping your toddler/child to identify all sorts of foods at shops and supermarkets. Go to a farmers’ market and enjoy looking at the fruit and veg. Do taste tests: slice up two apples and see which tastes sweeter, nicer, redder? The more curious you are about good eating, dealing with waste and finding meals that suit your budget, the more your child will learn.

Quick tip •

•

Use up leftovers (loads of ideas at www.lovefoodhatewaste.com) and compost all kitchen stuff/veg garden waste that you can’t eat. When dinner isn’t a mad rush I get my girls (now 9 and 12) to look in the fridge and suggest what we can make for dinner. Visiting boys get the same challenge.

Get in the habit of bringing your own sandwiches/wraps/ banana bread so no one gets so hungry that you have to go to the café. Thermoses, insulated mugs and refillable bottles to keep your water intake up are useful, while plastic tubs and Tupperware double as a blackberry/mushroom/leftovers holder too.

So what is good food? New York Times best-selling food writer Michael Pollen’s great advice is to “eat food, not too much, mostly vegetables”. He clearly wasn’t feeding a toddler or teenager. It’s so unfair: we want to raise our kids healthy but they won’t eat up their broccoli. For the little ones the answer is to use tricks: challenge your toddler to eat up their peas using a fork, or their fingers, or with their eyes closed, or with chip sticks. Bet they can’t do that and if you’re lucky the dish may soon be finished.

Or try pureeing into a sauce, or add some carrots and celery to a tomato sauce base for spaghetti.

Learning to cook is best done watching, tasting and joining in. By cooking up some meals for your family and getting your toddler to stir a mix, or wipe the table, or find a saucepan, big wooden spoon or the olive oil, you will be subtly teaching your child to cook. You may find you get better at multi-tasking in the kitchen, especially if you stock up on plastic containers and a hand blender to create home-blended purees, soups and stews which can then be stored in the freezer.

Encourage kitchen skills as if you were on a TV cookery show.

Make your child the shopkeeper, head chef or run their own café. Dress them up as super-hero waiters – or even fashion a Katie Perry lollypop crown with your pre-teen – if that makes the task more fun.

Quick tip •

Pin up a list of meals you and the kids can make together, such as pancakes, scrambled eggs, guacamole, beans on toast.

Or let them follow a recipe for dinner (eg, Jamie Oliver’s).

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Try growing some herbs, cut and come again salads or super-easy veg like chard (it’s a bit like spinach) and radish.

Or suggest their nursery/school does this.

Parents are champion food worriers. For anyone up to speed on food there can be debates about what’s best to buy, with the classics for eco eaters being local versus organic, fair trade versus the air miles that onion/banana/apple has travelled.

More pragmatically there’s also the choice between packaged versus homemade.

Quick tip •

Try to eat food that’s in season. In March there are still carrots and potatoes but April is known as the hungry gap in the UK – because the autumn produce has been eaten up and the first of the new crops, such as wild garlic and spring onions, are not yet harvested.

•

It’s easy to eat seasonally if you order an organic veg/fruit box. Or ask a greengrocer what they’ve got from the UK/Europe.

•

Beat air miles by freezing berries in the summer and then chuck them in smoothies all year round. Or make homemade ice lollies out of smoothie mixture.

Even if you admit to being a food evangelist it pays off not to be too dogmatic. That’s because if you boast on the first day of school that the only food that has passed your toddler’s lips is organic this or homemade that, you will soon alienate lots of friendly families who might have enjoyed play dates, childcare swaps or been brilliant members of a babysitting circle. All of us are parents just doing our best, and there are many reasons why some people cannot take so much time or money sourcing or preparing their food.

Nicola Baird’s newest book is Homemade Kids: thrifty, creative and eco-friendly ways to raise children (Vermilion, £10.99) or have a look at the blog at www.homemadekids.co.uk

March – April 2011

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Voucher Valid: 1st March – 31st March 2011 and 3rd – 27th May 2011 only

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

March – April 2011

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